1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to organizational structure change, in particular to organizational realignment, and more specifically to systems, program products, and methods to realign an organization structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mergers and acquisitions, realignments, downsizings, joint ventures, and other forms of major changes affecting an organization structure are becoming commonplace. Major corporations and other business entities are continuously improving and realigning to industry trends and customer needs, and thus, require such flexibility in today's competitive markets in order to prosper. This realignment often requires reorganization of various departments within the organization or even wholesale reorganization of the entire organization structure. One such recent impetus for change in established entities is the desire to change individual departments from functioning as cost centers which generally follow a mentality of cutting costs in order to improve efficiency and which tend to stifle innovation, to that of functioning as profit centers which improve efficiency through both cost cutting and through increasing revenues through innovation and through providing additional services.
During reorganization, the entity generally must still maintain various controls and business policies and procedures to preserve the integrity of the entity and preserve the entity's business image and reputation. In order to realign an organization, typically managers have needed to define the various organization elements including functions, activities that support the functions, tasks necessarily to accomplish the activity, roles of the various personnel involved in accomplishing the tasks, and their respective competencies. Changes resulting from such reorganization can present new challenges and demands for the entire organization from the highest levels to the lowest level personnel. Thus, recognized by the Applicant is the need for a system and methodology of implementing such organization realignment which can minimize the impact on the organization's personnel.
In order to transition to the new organization structure, adjustments must be made that can capitalize on the strengths of the organization's personnel. Supervisors and managers, however, often spend a substantial amount of time personally organizing, managing, and evaluating such changes only to have little to no support from those who must implement the changes. Most of personnel prefer established routines, feeling secure, stable, and familiar with their past responsibilities. Change, however, naturally results in a certain level of uncertainty as to the status in the organization, the role each organization member is expected to play, and what other changes might follow. If change is not handled well, the results can include demoralization of the organization's personnel, an increase in turnover, a decrease in cooperation and teamwork, and increased levels of anxiety which can lead to an increase in stress, followed by an increase in absenteeism, illness, and mistakes. It is human nature that organization members that tend to resist such change will have negative feelings. Thus, recognized by the Applicant is the need for a system and methodology of implementing such organization realignment which can involve the organization's affected personnel in the change process and thus, encourage ownership, by allowing them to participate in defining the various organizational elements of the new organization structure while still maintaining management control of all final decisions, assignments, and definitions. Also recognized is the need for a system and methodology of implementing such organization realignment which allows affected organization personnel to evaluate their respective strengths and weaknesses against the various roles necessary to complete various tasks supporting the organization activities and functions of the new organization structure.
One methodology referred to as responsibility (RACI) charting was introduced by Xerox in the 1960s to be used as a participative tool to allow team members to better understand what is expected, to prevent oversight, and to designate appropriate responsibility and authority to accomplish necessary tasks. The RACI chart or model allows for key individuals to clarify their roles and responsibilities in relation to various functions and activities pre-defined by responsible organization managers. The chart allows such key individuals to assign themselves as either responsible, accountable, consulted, or informed with respect to the various activities. Another methodology uses a competency table to allow for defining such key individuals according to their competency levels, i.e., categorizes such competency levels as either: learning, using, guiding, or innovating. A further methodology segments competency into knowledge, skills, and behavior. Each of these respective methodologies individually have certain deficiencies. Thus, recognized by the Applicant is the need for a system that can include and can combine the various tools to overcome such individual deficiencies. More specifically, recognized is the need for a system and methodology that can capture information on an organization's functions and activities; that can link together as a best practices means of linking roles, tasks and skills; and that is integrated to provide a comprehensive model for capturing the information necessary for realigning an organization from the top level information on functions and activities through the lower-level information on tasks, roles, knowledge and, and skills.